title: The role of ergonomic and psychosocial workplace factors in the reporting of back injuries among U.S. home health aides.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the aging population and a shift to patient home care, home health aides (HHAs) are a fast-growing occupation. Since little is known about workplace risk factors for back injuries among HHAs, we examined the role of ergonomic and psychosocial factors in injury reporting among HHAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the 2007 U.S. National Home Health Aide Survey data (weighted n = 160,720) to predict the risk of back injuries by use of/need for ergonomic equipment and supervisor support with logistic regression, adjusted for socio-demographic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual prevalence of back injuries for U.S. HHAs was 5.2%. Injury risk was increased in HHAs reporting the need of additional ergonomic equipment in patient homes, and marginally associated with low reported supervisor support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvement of workplace ergonomic and psychosocial factors could be targeted as a strategy to decrease work-related injuries in HHAs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. anna.arlinghaus@gawo-ev.de
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arlinghaus
authors.forename: Alberto J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Caban-Martinez
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Silje Endresen
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Reme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019567:Back Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D018576:Home Health Aides / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: epidemiology; home health aides; injury; occupational health; social support